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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Old City Hall Tacoma ranks #9 among Washington's most haunted places

A new index ranks places by published accounts, not legend

September 30, 2026

With Halloween approaching, Old City Hall Tacoma (closed to the public during construction) ranks #9 among Washington's most haunted places in HauntBound's 2026 index. The index ranks 107 Washington sites by separate published accounts and how far back they go, not by fame or search popularity.

Old City Hall Tacoma ranks #9. Edward Hatherton and Colin McIntosh designed the Italian Renaissance Revival building, completed in 1893, which served as Tacoma's city hall, library and jail until the government relocated in 1957. Ten separate published accounts describe activity there, the earliest dated to 1978. Staff describe a prankster presence nicknamed 'Gus' who switches lights on and off and locks employees out of offices that were unlocked moments before, along with shadowy figures moving through the former Chamber of Commerce wing and a bell that rings in the empty clock tower at night. The Shadowlands database noted that only one of the officers involved in a reported elevator incident believed anything supernatural had occurred.

Statewide, Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub in Seattle ranks #1, and Pike Place Market, the state's most famous haunted site, misses the top ten.

"We rank by evidence, not legend: independent published accounts, documented history, and how far back the reports go. We don't claim ghosts are real, or that they aren't. We document where the reports concentrate, and we show our work," said Ben Fineman, editor of HauntBound. The ranking shows each site's documented record.

Visiting:Old City Hall Tacoma, 625 Commerce St., is closed to the public during construction while Surge restores the building.

For media:The full ranking: https://hauntbound.com/most-haunted/washington/The fact sheet, with Tacoma numbers and cleared images: https://hauntbound.com/press/fact-sheets/washington/Photo: Old City Hall Tacoma, on the fact sheet.Venue contact: oldcityhalltacoma.comA short version follows.

HauntBound (hauntbound.com) is a family-friendly field guide to more than 6,000 documented haunted and historic places across the United States, ranked by published evidence rather than legend. No venue pays to be listed or ranked.

Media contact: Ben Fineman, Editor, HauntBound, editor@hauntbound.com

Short version

SHORT VERSION

Old City Hall Tacoma ranks #9 among Washington's most haunted places

Old City Hall Tacoma ranks #9 among Washington's most haunted places in HauntBound's 2026 index, which ranks sites by separate published accounts rather than fame. The 1893 Italian Renaissance Revival building served as Tacoma's city hall, library and jail until 1957. Staff describe a prankster presence nicknamed 'Gus' who switches lights on and off, along with shadowy figures and a bell that rings in the empty clock tower at night. The building is closed to the public during construction while Surge restores it.

Full ranking: https://hauntbound.com/most-haunted/washington/